Tag: Buddhist narrative

  • #42.6. Bodhisattva king in mountain (hall)

    This richly decorated Bodhisattva King wearing an elaborate crown stands barefoot between his court and the genies. In spite of the severe damage, a yakṣa couple, a flying couple, and a vidyādhara (charm bearer) couple have been identified. The latter holds a sword hanging across the shoulder and back. —Source: Singh 2019, 31-33; Related Images:

  • #01. Paṇḍara

    Cave No. 9 Identification: episode 3 by Schlingloff (1993, p. 10 f.), 1 and 2 by Zin 2000.— Once a nāga (serpent) called Paṇḍara revealed the secret of guarding against the nāga-devouring garuḍas (eagles) to an ascetic friend. But the ascetic divulged the secret to the garuḍa. Hence, the garuḍa captured the nāga. When crying…

  • #02. Mahāgovinda

    Cave No. 9 Identification: Schlingloff 2013.— A brahman named Mahāgovinda was the prime minister of a king. After the king’s death, the king’s son did not want the responsibility of ruling over the vast kingdom. Therefore, Mahāgovinda divided the kingdom among the son and six other princes while retaining the responsibility of superintendence. His skill…

  • #03. Śaśa

    Cave No. 9 Proposed identification: Schlingloff 2013.—A hermit was planning to leave his forest habitation because of the ongoing drought. To make him stay back, four animals offered gifts of food to him. An otter gave him seven Rohita breed of fish. A jackal gave a stolen dinner consisting of two skewers of meat, a…

  • #04. Kuṇāla

    Cave No. 9 Identification: Schlingloff 2013.— Once, there was a king of the glossy cuckoos, named Kuṇāla, who despised the female sex. His friend, a king of the speckled cuckoos, fell ill and was abandoned by his female entourage. After his recovery, Kuṇāla delivered to him a sermon while seated on a stone form under…

  • #05. Udaya

    #05. Udaya

    Cave No. 9 (No photo.) Identification: Schlingloff 1995.— A prince named Udaya was reborn as a yakṣa (a class of semi-divine being marked by genius). To keep his promise to his wife, he visited her in the palace and asked for some favours. The princess, not recognising him, wondered how he had entered the well-guarded…

  • #67. Kāśyapa

    Cave No. 9 Identification: episodes 1 to 3 by Foucher (1921, narrative no. 53), 4 to 8 by Schlingloff (2013). The legend is from the life of the Buddha.— As the Buddha began teaching his sermon and accepted his first disciples as monks in his doctrine, he thought of converting an ascetic. Thus, he went…

  • #84. Devāvatāra

    #84. Devāvatāra

    Cave No. 16 Identification: Foucher (1921, narrative nos. 58–60). The legend is from the life of the Buddha.—After defeating the ascetics with his superhuman powers, the Buddha went to Indra’s heaven. He spent three months there and preached the doctrine to his mother, who was reborn as a goddess, besides other gods and goddesses. On…

  • #56. Sutasoma

    #56. Sutasoma

    Cave No. 16 Sutasoma. (No photo.) Identification: Foucher (1921, narrative no. 20). For the story, vide Cave 17, No. 57. —Source: Singh 2019, 31-33; cf. Schlingloff 2013, I, 251-252 Related Images:

  • #12. Vartakāpota

    #12. Vartakāpota

    Cave No. 1 (No photo.) Identification: Schlingloff (1977a, p. 458 f.)— There was a little vartakā (Hindi/Gujarati baṭér; Eng. quail). It had eaten only the vegetative leftovers of the food brought to the nest by its parents. Once there was a forest fire, which soon approached the nest. All the birds flown away except the little…